Internal-combustion engine.



. wwwI PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

P. LAWIPSS.

'ERNL CO'MTSTION BNGNE.

APPLICATION FLD OCT. 5, 1905.

.A Iandfthen. the combustible mixture is fired,

'as compared withvhat has possible,

UNITED sTATEs IlIILIP CHARLES LAWLESS,

Ol HAMPSTEAD, ENGLAND.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Speci-cation of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application and october 25.1905. serai No. 234.404.

To all whom. 'it may concern: I

Be it known that I, PHILIP CHARLES LAwLEss, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Xo. 50 Parliament Hill, Ham stead, in the county of London, England, ave invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating toInternal-Uombuston Engines, of which the ,following is a specification. v

This invention relatesto an improved process of operation in internal .combustion engines and means for carrying it into elect whereby Athe quantity of air admitted, to form a portion of the workinl charge, ma relative y to', the 'combustible portion, e greatly-'increased ,and very largely varied,

hitherto been` Accordingito this invention the combustiblelfluid, mixed with a sufficient-quantity of air to most effectually promote 1 nition, is admitted to a workin chamber an separated therefrom, an `a ditional quantity of air is also admitted to thesame chamber. After admission, both quantities are comessed to approximately the same pessure abusing, b its expansion, a further compression ofy the separated air, followed bya transferenceof such air into the space con-"- taining thel burned or burning combustible mixture and' its intimate mixture therewith, the combined charge being then caused to (lo-work by ex ansion.

Insteado t e. separated quantity consisting of air alone, it may, under Some circumstances, com rise another fluid, or other fluids, combusti le or otherwise,f,but. in general it will be a'ir alone or chieflyfair, and in the succeeding descri tion itiwill be referred to as i it consiste( entirely of air. 'l

Superposed on the cycle of operations as above described means may be provided for supplyingthe charge to the working chamber under a pressure in' excess of the atxnos phere and therebv increasing the work eapacity of the engine. l

A method of construction and operation will be described by way of example, but it is to be understood that the supply of the charge to the working chamber under com-l pression is not an. essential feature of this invention, and it is to be further understood that othermeans ma be adapted for supplying k'thaw'jrking c arve under com ression, alternately to those i escribed herein.

From a sequence of operations as above enumerated many advantageous results are derivable, as for 'exampler-While always providing a richness of mixture to insure ignition and complete combustion, the added air can be increased almost without limitation, by which means:-(1) The power of' the engine can be varied within wide limits, anlJ regularity of'motion maintained at low power, each charge being effective though small. (2) The temperature of the cylinder' can be reduced to limits which conduce to safet durability and maximum eflicienc (3 For the cxternalabstraction" of heat rom the exterior' surface of the cylinder, is substituted an internal abstraction by the added air, and its utilization -in work the engine will be largely increased, and the complicationsi involved inthe rovision of externallyapplied cooling lui will be avoided.

One method of obtaining the. desired re sults is by the provision, at the closed end of' the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of an additional piston which, by the action of a spring' or weight or b 'fluid pressure, tends to recede from the clbsed end of the cylinder and approach theworking piston-of t e engine land alternatel to be thrust away b fluid pressure from t ie working piston. This additional piston will, in 'this specilication, be referred to as the serving-piston and be so distinguished from the Workingpiston which is mechanically connected to the engine crank-shaft.

AThe accompanying drawing shows, as a representative example, a formof construction of a' motor whereby the process` above'vde-l scribed can be carried into eilcct, together with means for supplying the Working charge to the cylinder 'under pressure in excess oi the amosphere.

In this drawing: Figure -1 is a plan of' the motor. Fig. 2 is an elevation as viewed in a direction at right angles to the motor shaft. Fig. 3 is a conventional vertical section of the motor the upper portion of which is taken along vertical planes whose traces areindil cated in Fig. 1 by .3L-3, 3-3, {l-32, and 32-3u these planes being developed on to the single lane of the figure. Fig. 4 situated belowr ig. 3 is a vertical section of the lower portion of the motor taken alongV the planes whose traces are indicated in Fig. 2 by 4-41 In this drawing, c is the cylinder 'which is production, whereby the eliicicncyof ,rodfl fitted With a plunger-shaped working-piston l), of ordinary construction, which'is coupled by a connecting` rodrto a pin which is secured at its ends to two disks (Z1 (Z1 which latter, arel themselves secured 'to the motor shaft d. The crank-chamber e is iiiclosed in an air-tight manner so that on the. rip-stroke of the working-piston air can be drawn l'rom the atmosphere and compressed on he downstroke. Fitting in the saine. cyiiiider a, above the Working-piston, is the above inentioned serving-piston f, which is secured to n which works i'luid-tight through the stulling-box g in the cylinder cover al. A disk f2 secured to the end ot' the rod serves to limit the downward movement oltlic serving-piston and arrest it, without shock by a cushion of air confined in a cup termed in the gland of the stufling box g.

TWhen the serving-pistonj' is at the upper end .of its stroke, in contact with the cylinder cover al, a helical spring li is compressed and the compressive torce .tends to t.hrust 'thc serving-piston a. small distance away from the up er end of the cylinder. The servingpiston isiitted with a spring` ring f in its upper portion so as to make a {luid-tight ioint with the cylinder, but the diameter ofthe lower portion of the. istonj' is made soilnewhat less than that ot the cylinder leaving a narrow annular s ace between them. In the u per end of'tlie cylin'der of longitudinal o r sli'g itly helical grooves ai when the serving-piston is ,at the upper end of its stroke, a passage from one side oll the serving-piston to the other side is provided..

To the space 'i between the two pistons a mixture of combustible lluid and air is ndmitted from a passage 'il and through a spring closed 'iionrrcturn valve j, the produots of. combustion being subsequently evacuated through the same passage Jhon. vthe mechanical opening of an exhaust valve r. To the space m, above the serving-piston, air is forced ata pressure in excess ol' the aiinospliere. This air is drawn into the crankchainber e through the valvep on the upstroke of the working-piston l) and.A on the downstroke, this air is compressed and 'forced through a non-return valve o into a passage of leading beneath a spring-closed valve n. At a suitable. period oli thecycle the valve 'a .is .lifted by a cani` permitting the compressed air to llow to tbe upper side oll the serving-piston. There is, Ain addition, a spring closed valve p which is mechanically opened inwards, periodically, 'to allow ol" the escape ot' air from the space m under special circumstances to be presently described.

g is the firing plug which serves to ignite the fluid at the appropriate time, in the usual way.

"he operations ol' the eiiginerwill be vprrl'orined as follows: ',lhe drawing-r shows the serving-piston fin contact with the cyliin'lerl each lo about the sinne interi.

are cnt, whereby,

end and the. working-piston at the upper i extremity of its stroke. These willbe approximately the positions of the two pistons immediately after iing the combustible.

charge, as will be presently explained. At this moment the spaces i and t" will be occupied by the burned or burning charge at its maximum.pressuri-x and, on the descent of the working-piston l), the charge will eitpand' Vlieii the piston I1 has nearly reached and do work at lgradually diiniiiishing pres- SUI'C. the lower end ol its stroke it. is arranged for the exhaust valve le to be litted by a cam in the manner usual in internal combustionengines. At this instant, it' not earlier, the spring h will have thrust the serving-piston j. away. trom the cylii'ider-end suitieiently-'to `cover the lower ends of the grooves o2 and close the. `communication between the spaces 'm and i on the two sides of the servingpiston. The Iserving-piston will move a small distance further by reason of ther):- pansioii ofv the fluid contained in the iassage ml and will attain a position at'whic i it vn'll be able to make. actual or approximate. V'contaot'with the working-piston when it" returns tothe upper'end of its stroke. During'the completion of the down-stroke olv the working piston and also during' the return stroke, the exhaust valve will be retained open and during the interval tliefree" evacuation ol the burned gas will be permitted. The actual or proximate meeting of the pistons at the end ol' the lupstroke of the .vorking-piston ',will also promote a very ellectual evacuation.

l(')ii the next downstroke ol' the workingpiston a. mixture ot combustible lluid and air will be drawn into the cylinder between the two pistons through lh'e admission valve j. During this movementthe serving-piston will beuble to lollow the working-piston onl)v a little way as it. would entail an expansion of the' air in the space Ali'to a pressure less than the atmosphere. Consequently, into the 'spare i, there will be drawn a` mixed charge ol combustible,fluid and airin vohiinel not much less than the displacement volume next upstroke of the working-piston thev cylinder will' (-.i'intain.afqnaiitity ol' combustible gas underpressure ,between the two serving-piston there.

will be a quaintitymf."additional aiiralso under pressure. l.)urnig--the upstroke these two quantitiesv ,will aimlei co'n'ipressioin ty ol pressure,

the serving-piston adapting its position to maintain a balance of the pressures on its two sides. When the upstroke is y on" the point of completion it is arranged for the :tiring plug g to be rendered active and effect the ignition of the combustible charge in the spaces i and il. y The', immediate increase of temperature which will follow will have the effect of causing an expansion ol the burning fluid, the consequent displacement of the serving-'piston completing the compression of the charge of air in the space m. By the bonsiderable pressure developed by the c oinbustion the serving-piston will be displaced sutliciently to uncovei` the ends of the grooves a2 and place the space fm in communication with the space i. There being less area above the serving-piston, for the Huid to act on, than beneath, by the amount of the sectional area of 'the piston rod j", the servingpiston will be forced entirely to the end of the cylinder and the air in thev space m will be entirely transferred to the space i by flowing thiouvh the grooves a2 and afteiwards throng i the narrow annular spaceI between the body of the serving-piston and the surface of the cylinder whereby it will be-directed to sweep with considerable veloci ity in close contact with the metal of the cylinder which has just been exposed to the* burning gases and thereby recover the heat which will have been temporarily absorbed by the inet-al. lf at this time combustion has not been coinlileted, the intimate mixing of the warmed air with the burning gases will promote their very complete coinbustion. The Atransfer of air from m to 'i will take lplace at practically constant volume.. The tendency to a'diiniiiution oi' pressure by the abstraction ol' heat from tie burning gases will be entirely compensated for by the tendency to an increase ol .p1,essuie'due to the reception of the sa nie quantity ot' heat by the inllowing air and thus, although the temperature will be reduced very much below the temperature pt' combustion, there.4 will be no diminution of pressure. The

"working-stroke will now coii'iinence during which the 'highly com ircsscd gas will ex? pand and urge theI worldng-piston- During this stroke so long as the pressure in the cylinder is sullicieiit to overpower the helical spring h, the serving-piston will be kept in contact with the cylinderl corel".

In' the event ol a inis-iire .tile charge of air adi'nittcd' to tb e space fm will not he trans- .'lerred to the space i and. this will interfere ywithv the reception ,ol a tull charge ol conikbustible mixture to the space i on thenext inta-kc because the servingpiston will follow tbe worlfin iiston unduly iai' during this suction sti' 'lo provide foitliis contingency au additional spring-closed valve ,1i which opens inwards to the passage /mv may be'littcn, it being arranged for this valve to be mechanically opened for a short period and permit the escape ot' the unused charge of air admitted to the space m. 'lhis valve may also be beneficial in starting` the engine but its employment is not essential. 'The valves k, n and 'i are mechanically openedby means of cams "l, n* and p1 secured to a camshaft 1 which is driven by a air of`one-to-two gear-wheels r1 r'3 in the usua manner. Interposed between cam c and the stem of the valve 'it' is a lever le? and a short separate stem k3. Similarly there is a lever n2 and stem n3 interposed between n* and n. The valve p is opened` by the downward pull of the rod p2 which connects the upper level' p3 with the lower lever pien which latter the cam pl operates.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, 'a cylinder, a working piston in said cylinder mechanically; connected with the crank shaft of the engine, means for supplying,r a charge of combustible mixture to the cylinder, means for supplyinga charge of airto'the cylinder, means separating the two charges, and means for transferring thi charge of air to the spaceoecupied by the mixture inlinediatelv'after ignition thereof.

2. n an4 internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a working piston in said cylinder mechanically connected with the lcrank of the engine, a'fiee serving piston in said cylinder, means for supplyino' a charge of combustible mixture to one site of the serving piston, means for supplying a chargent air to the other side of tue serving piston, and means l'oi transferrinf r the charge of air to the space roccupied by the mixture immediately after ignition thereof.

3. In anlinternal combustion engine, a cylinder, a working: piston in said cylinder mechanically connected with the crank shaft of the engine, a free ,servingpiston in said cylinder, means for supplying a charge ol' combustible 'mixture to the s ace--.l et\ vccn the two pistons, means foi-snep ying a charge of` air to the space on the sii e of the servingi piste, remote from the working; piston, and a channel in said cylinder adapted to place both sides ol the serving` piston in communication immediately after 'ignition ol` the mixture I4. Inan internal coiubustionengine, a cylinder, a working piston in said cylinder meehai'iically connected with ther-.rank shalt ol the engine, a tree serving piston in said cylinder, a piston 'rod connected with said serving piston and passing out of the cylinto the space oii the side ol the serving:A piston 'remote from thc working pist on, :ind grooves in said lcylinder adapted on ignition o'l' the mixture and consequent displacement ol the communcatio e,

5, In en internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a, working piston in 'said cylinder mechanically connected with the crank shaft of the engine, a, serving piston in said cylinder, e' piston rod connected with 'said serving piston and passing out of the cylinder, means for supplying a charge of combustible mixture to thespnce between the two pistons, an inolo'sed crank case, a valve controlled serving piston, to place both sidesgtbereof in channel connecting the crank caseand the space on'the side ofthe Servingr piston remote from the Working piston, and grooves in .ss-icl cylinder adapted on ignition of the mixture l5 and consequent displacement of the serving piston to place both sidesthereoic in connn'unication. 1 -In testimony whereof have ,signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses..

PHLIP CHARLES' LAWLESS.

` Witnesses' H. D. JAMESQN F. L.. RAND. 

